|
Welding Rod Type |
Material |
Use Cases |
Notes |
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Stick Welding Electrodes (SMAW) |
Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, cast iron |
General purpose welding, fabrication, repair, pipe welding, shipbuilding |
Wide variety of options based on AWS specification |
|
Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) Wires |
Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum |
General purpose welding, fabrication, repair, out-of-position welding |
Self-shielded or gas-shielded options |
|
Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Wires |
Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, nickel |
General purpose welding, fabrication, automation, thin sheet metal |
Requires separate shielding gas |
|
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Rods |
Aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, magnesium |
Precision welding, thin sheet metal, critical welds |
Non-consumable, requires filler metal separately |
|
Brazing Rods |
Silver, copper, aluminum |
Joining dissimilar metals, repairing small cracks, jewelry making |
Lower melting point than welding rods |
|
Soldering Rods |
Tin-lead, lead-free |
Joining electrical components, sheet metal, plumbing |
Lowest melting point, often used with flux |
